Correcting High School Football Coaching Habits
Playbook Practicing
Every football team will have certain plays. It will be essential to learn your part in that play to benefit yourself, and the whole team. Because football plays can be intricate, it is important that you understand and follow the coach's instructions. As you start to practice the play make sure to slow it down, there is no sense in practicing errors. Remember that if you need help, you should ask for it. At times we have seen a player fail to advance or refine their techniques because they don't ask for added assistance. Don't let this happen to you!The last helpful hint that we want you to learn is the power of visualization. Go over the plays in your mind, over and over again. Make your mind work them out and your muscles memorize them even when you sleep!
Secrets to a good hand off
Learning the basics in a handoff is essential to a strong offense. The hand off can take place in many ways, but most if not all handoffs occur between the quarterback and the running back. A good hand off starts with the running back giving a target to the quarterback, this can be done in the running back keeping his arms flat against his body, one arm low and the other high creating an open square or target around the chest for the quarterback to slide the ball in. When the quarterback slides the ball into the arms, or the pocket as it is called, the running back closes his arms around the ball to protect it. Now that the running back has the ball when he leaves the quarterback he should remain low to the ground in order to react quickly on the field.
Gauntlet Drill for Ball Security
There is nothing more important for offense to learn great ball security. This of course is even more important for wide receivers and running backs as they handle the ball more than most. A great drill called the gauntlet practices ball security. The point to the gauntlet drill is to have a player run through several opponents that try to dislodge the football. Each of the defenders can line up in any way making the ball carrier run any sort of patterns with the ball, the point is to pose a challenge to hold onto the ball. Run each of the gauntlet drills slow and then speed them up as each player gets better at effective ball security.
Angle tackling
Because not every tackle is direct and head on, it is necessary to set up an angle tackling situations during practice. Accomplish this drill in pairs, having one teammate act as the offense, or ball carrier, running in a straight line and the other as the defender coming in at any angle. As the defender he will need to adjust his body to cover the shortest distance towards the ball carrier, and make the stop by placing his foot squarely in front, and remembers for safety to put his head in front of the ball carrier. A good tackle is now executed as the defender lunges at the opponent wrapping his arms around his opponent grabbing cloth and completing the tackle by pulling him down or pushing him off sides.
Every football team will have certain plays. It will be essential to learn your part in that play to benefit yourself, and the whole team. Because football plays can be intricate, it is important that you understand and follow the coach's instructions. As you start to practice the play make sure to slow it down, there is no sense in practicing errors. Remember that if you need help, you should ask for it. At times we have seen a player fail to advance or refine their techniques because they don't ask for added assistance. Don't let this happen to you!The last helpful hint that we want you to learn is the power of visualization. Go over the plays in your mind, over and over again. Make your mind work them out and your muscles memorize them even when you sleep!
Secrets to a good hand off
Learning the basics in a handoff is essential to a strong offense. The hand off can take place in many ways, but most if not all handoffs occur between the quarterback and the running back. A good hand off starts with the running back giving a target to the quarterback, this can be done in the running back keeping his arms flat against his body, one arm low and the other high creating an open square or target around the chest for the quarterback to slide the ball in. When the quarterback slides the ball into the arms, or the pocket as it is called, the running back closes his arms around the ball to protect it. Now that the running back has the ball when he leaves the quarterback he should remain low to the ground in order to react quickly on the field.
Gauntlet Drill for Ball Security
There is nothing more important for offense to learn great ball security. This of course is even more important for wide receivers and running backs as they handle the ball more than most. A great drill called the gauntlet practices ball security. The point to the gauntlet drill is to have a player run through several opponents that try to dislodge the football. Each of the defenders can line up in any way making the ball carrier run any sort of patterns with the ball, the point is to pose a challenge to hold onto the ball. Run each of the gauntlet drills slow and then speed them up as each player gets better at effective ball security.
Angle tackling
Because not every tackle is direct and head on, it is necessary to set up an angle tackling situations during practice. Accomplish this drill in pairs, having one teammate act as the offense, or ball carrier, running in a straight line and the other as the defender coming in at any angle. As the defender he will need to adjust his body to cover the shortest distance towards the ball carrier, and make the stop by placing his foot squarely in front, and remembers for safety to put his head in front of the ball carrier. A good tackle is now executed as the defender lunges at the opponent wrapping his arms around his opponent grabbing cloth and completing the tackle by pulling him down or pushing him off sides.
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